Drill-bit



F. L. CLEMENTS, JR.

DRILL BIT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-6,1919.

" Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mvm TOR Frank L. C/emenfadn A TTORNEYS F. L. CLEMENTS, JR.

DRILL BIT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. I919.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, INVENTOR Frank L. C/emenQJn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. CLEMENTS, JR", 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

DRILL-BIT.

Application filed March 6, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. CLEMEN'rs, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Houston, in the county of Harris and State ofTexas, have invented a new and Improved Drill-Bit, of which thefollowing is a description.

In drilling for oil by the rotary method in the usual manner, a bit isscrewed to the bottom of a string of pipe, the whole being continuouslyrotated while muddy water is pumped down through the inside of the pipepassing through holes in the drill bit and returning to the surfacearound the outside of the pipe. The water washes out the material cutand loosened by the bit while the mud of the water plasters up the sidesof the drilled hole. The string of pipe is known in the trade as thedrill stem and the bit is usually about two inches larger at the workingor drilling point than is the inside diameter of the drill stem. Withbits of the form generally used it is necessary to remove and unscrewthe drill stem every three joints whenever it is necessary to change thebit for sharpening or the like, and this is required every twenty-fourhours or oftener, depending on the character'of the formation in whichthe drilling is being done. Removal of the stem and renewal of the bitrequires from four to six hours, more or less. To overcome the statedobjection provision has been proposed for passing the it through thedrill stem, thereby constitut ing a saving of a great deal of time andlabor over the present'method, besides reducing the wear and tear onthe-machinery, piping, etc. My invention provides novel means forcarrying out the passing of the bit through the drill stem, ashereinafter set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings formingla part ofthis specification, it being understood that the drawings are merelyillustrative of one example of the invention. I

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the lower end of a drillstem showing my improved drill bit therein in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but at right angles to the latter;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the parts in positions forpulling the drill bit out of the stem, the drill points and other partsin this figure being also shown as they Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Serial No. 280,978.

are disposed after lowering the drill bit, and before final positioningof the drill points relatively to the stem for drilling;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the lower end of the stem and showing inside elevation the upper portion of the drill bit lift and the grabtherefor;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively horizontal sections on the lines 4+4, and-5-5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is'a horizontal section on the line 66, Fig. 3*;

Fig. 7 is a sectional side elevation of the drill bit with the drillpoints in position for drilling;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary View similar to the upper right hand portion ofFig. 7 showing the latch pin in the projected position by thecontrolling finger shown in the lowered operative position, the viewshowing also a spring-pressed latch bar sectioned to indicate itsfastened relation to its controlling spring.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8-8, Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the grab for engaging the lift andraising and lowering the drill bit.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on the line 10-10, Fig. 9.

In carrying out my invention in accord ance with the illustratedexample, a tubular section 10 is applied to the lower end of the pipe Aconstituting the drill stem, connection being effected by any suitablemeans as by; a con ling 11. The section 10 constitutes a housing for thedrill bit and coactin members are provided on said housin an on the body12 of the bit, so that the atter will be turned with the turning of thestem, there being shown for the purpose a rib 13 on the'bit body to beengaged by ribs 14 on the section 10 at the interior. Said ribs 13 mayhave, as shown, recesses 13* to receive corresponding teeth on the ribs14 but this is not absolutely necessary, as the interlockin standingguide rods 20 on the up er ends of which are stops 21 usually in t eform of nuts, the purpose of which will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

The bit is equipped with a lift to be engaged by a rab for raising andlowering the bit, said Iii having means to control the latches 18 and tocontrol the vertically movable drill point '17 as follows: The lift isin the form of a central upright rod 22 having at the upper end means toengage a grab, there being shown a frame or ring 23 secured to said rodby brackets 24 or the like and having offset bracket members 25 orequivalent guide elements-to engagle the inner surface of the drill stemA. he grab 26 is suspended from'a cable 27 for'raising and lowering thegrab in the drill stem and has a disk 28 which givesweight to the graband it is sli htly less in diameter than the interior of the drill stemto center the grab. The major portion of the grab 26 is forkedpresenting spaced members 31 and grab arms 29 are pivoted as at 30between the fork 'arms, and in the illustrated form, a cross bar 32extends between the fork members as in Fig. 9. The disk 28 hasperforations 33 for the free passage of water. The arms 29 are adaptedto be engaged beneath the ring 23 of the rod 22, a suitable spring 34being provided between said grab arms to hold them in enga ement withthe ring 23. The spring 34 wilFbe an expansion 'spring on the grab whendropping the ab into the well for lifting the drill bit so t at the arms29 u n striking the ring 23 will yield-inwar y and after passing saidring will be s rung outward to a grabbing position. The lower end of therod 22 has a head 35 having depending latch fingers 36, adapted, whensaid head 35 is in the lowermost position on the rod 22, to pass intoholes 37 (see Figs. 7' and 10) and registering holes in the casing 38 inwhich each latch pin 18 is fitted. Each latch pin 18 has a stem 39adapted to be engaged by the 'beveled lower end of a finger 36 toforcethe pin 18 outwardly against the tension of the spring 40 coiledabout the stem 39 and normally tending to retract said latch pin to aposition to not engage the ribs 19. Thus, the lowering of the fingers 36serves to throw the latch pins outward to engaging position. A shortlength of light cable 41 extends from the head 35 of the latchrod 22obliquely through a passage 17 in the upper end of the drill point 17,and connects at its lower end with a transverse latch bar 42 rigidlyfastened to a latch spring 43 secured by solder, as indicated b thereference character 42", Figs. 7 and or bv other suitable means to saidpoint 17, said latch bar 42 being accommodated in a-notch 44 in thepoint 17, and extending laterally at both ends to-engage in notches 45in the body 12 of the drill point when said notches 45 are in registerwith the notch 44. This latch bar 42 is used to raise the assembled bitinto position for drilling after it has been passed down through insideof the drill stem.

A disk 46 is vertically movable relatively to the guides 20 and the rod22 and is adapted to seat on an internal flange 47 on the casing 10 toform a water-tight connection with the latter. The disk has a centralhole through which the stem 22 passes and holes at the sides of thecenter for receiving the guides 20. Also, the disk 46 has vertical holesslidably receiving water pipes 48 extending therethrough and rising fromthe drill bit body 12 at the inlets 49 of water passages 50 extendingthrough said body 12, (see Figs. 1 and 8). By being arranged inthismanner the disk 46 may move vertically along these water pipes 48 andupstanding uide rods 20, and in any posi-. tion of bit, said water pipes48 will protrude through the holes in said disk 46. In

.practice, while the drill bit is being lowered inside the drill stem,the drill bit parts and appurtenances will appear as shown in Fig. 3.When in the position of Fig. 3, the head 35 holds the weight of disk 46and the latch fingers 36 on head 35 are not in the holes 37, therebyallowing the tension springs 40 to hold latch pins '18 away from insideof drill stem thereby allowing free movement of bit; at this time thelatch bar 42 is held in place against drill of small cable 41 cause byweight of bit on cable 27. It is to be notedthat when the drill bit isbeing either raised or lowered the bottom of drill stem will bemaintained at least several feet ofi bottom of hole.

The points 15, 17 will continue in the same relative positionsthroughout the entire length of the drill stem until the bit reaches thespecial section 10 and is positioned as in Fig.3 and the disk 46 willhave seated on seat 47 of stem section 10. The drill bit oint 17 bytension.

point 15, the weight of all will be on disk 46 through guides 20, andcable 27 will be slightly loose. Latch bar 42 will now be directly overnotches 45 in body 12 but will be held out of notches by spring 43.Cable 27 will now be raised causing latch bar 42 to catch in notches .45in body 12, raising the fully assembled bit to position in Fig. 1.Without loosening up on cable 27 the drill stem is lowered until bitrests solidly on bottom of well hole. Cable 27 is then lowered allowingfingers 36 on head 35 to engage with and trip latch pins 18 and forcesaid latch pins outwardly and against the inside of section 10 betweenribs 19 which will lock bit in position for drilling. The grab 26 is nowremoved and bit is in position of Fig. 1 and spring 43 on latch bar 42now holds latch bar 42 away from notches 45 in body 12. When body 12 israised (and before drill stem is lowered and bit locked) disk 46 remainson seat 47 and the guides 20, stem 22 and water pipes 48 move upwardthrough their respective holes in disk 46.

To remove bit from hole, the drill stem with section 10 is first raisedseveral feet; grab 26 is then lowered down inside of drill stem, grabcatching ring 23; cable 27 is slightly lifted'which will raise head 35thus disengaging fingers 36 from latch pins 18 and unlocking bitallowing bod 12 to drop to position shown in Fig. 3. n order not toallow body 12 to drop and thus avoid any strain or jar it may be foundmore practicable to go through above operation before drill stem israised ofl" bottom and then to pull drill stem up sufliciently high forthe drill point 15 to clear the bottom, and then remove bit. The bitpoints 15, 17 in being raised up through inside of the drill stem willhave the samerelative positions as when being lowered; also, all springlatches will have the same positions. With the upward movement of thebit body 12 and the bits, the head 35 carries disk 46 upwardly also.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated exampleconstitutes a practical.

embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to themechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can beconsiderably varied without departure from the spirit of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A drill including a tubular stem section, av bit body having passagestherethroughfor the fiow of water, means to es- .controlled means, andan element movable relatively to. the bit body .and the cable-controlledlift means and adapted to seat on the stem section above said body whenthe latter is lowered in the stem section, said element having holestherethrough, and water pipes on the'bit body at the water passages andextending upwardly through the holes in said element to permit the flowofwater therethrough to the body, said element, except for thewaterpipes, serving when seated, to effect a water-tight closure of thestem section, said -member being adapted to be raised and lowered withthe raising and lowering of the bit body and lift means.

2. A drill including a tubular drill stem section, a bit body movablerelatively to said drill point being adapted tobe dropped below thesecond drill point, an upstanding guide extending from the top the bitbody and having stop means at the upper end thereof, an element abovethe bit body and relative to which the latter and its guide means arevertically movable, said element being adapted to engage said stop meansfor limiting the downward movementof the bit body and the fixed drillpoint relatively to the second drill point, lift means above and movablerelatively to the bit body and its guide means. a connection betweensaid lift means and the second drill point to sustain the second drillpoint against downward movement while the bit body moves below the stemsection, and latch means on the. second drill point adapted to engagethe bit body for maintaining said second drill point in drillingposition, said latch means being controlledby the relative movement ofthe lift means; together with latch means on the bit body controllableby said lift means and normally tending to engage the stem section.

FRANK L. CLEMENTS, JR..

